


Pre-planning

by RedIsMute (Cammerel)



Series: Chaste Verse [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 07:06:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13184895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cammerel/pseuds/RedIsMute
Summary: Ash stared at it. It wasn’t as strong with the golden color as some of the others were, but it was still absolutely beautiful.The idea of seeing it on Gary’s hand made him flush and he nodded, “Y-yeah. Yes, it’s perfect.”He reached out tentatively to touch it.“It’s perfect.”





	Pre-planning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SilentAvera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentAvera/gifts).



> For silentavera, as part of the Palletshipping Secret Santa 2017!
> 
> "As for my wish, I’d like to see Ash proposing to Gary X3!! Anyway the santa wishes to interpret that is fine (as long as Gary says yes, or its implied they’re gonna get married ;w;)"
> 
> You got it!

Ash wasn’t really that much of a planner.

In his youth, he had always been spontaneous and that had certainly followed him into adulthood. Even long after his days as a pokemon trainer, he still never liked to map things out.

Gary was quite the opposite - if their childhood had been anything to go by, he should’ve known that from day one.

But try as Gary might, all of his planning could never quite catch up to Ash. /Because/ he lived by the edges of his sleeves, he could always rely on that to abet him in catching the other man completely off guard.

While he /really/ wasn’t one for planning, Ash did take the time out of one day to actually get the ring.

And still he remembered why he had done it.

* * *

_Ash stretched in his bed and finally sat up, glancing around the dark room and climbing out to get dressed._

_He was just starting to lose the bleariness from his eyes as he reached out for the light. His hand brushed something soft and it startled him._

_But once the light snapped on, he stared down in confusion and it took him a moment to realize he was looking at a vase of flowers that had no reason being in his house._

_“What-”_

_He took the card from it and blinked a few times to finish clearing his eyes._

_‘Heard you were back in town._

_Was here to visit but didn’t have the heart to wake you._

_\- G’_

_The slow smile grew on Ash’s face and he pulled the card close to his chest as he looked at the flowers, then he leaned down and breathed them in._

_He couldn’t /stand/ the smell of perfume (or even really the existence of it), but there was something about actual flowers that always smelled so magical to him. It was something that couldn’t quite be replicated in any other way, no matter how much people tried._

_He pulled the card back and stared at it again._

_Who would’ve thought that Gary Oak would be a romantic? And with him of all people._

_But this was hardly the first time Gary had went out on a limb and done something sweet for him. He wasn’t in town often, hardly ever, but Gary always seemed to find a way (even, sometimes, when he wasn’t home at all)._

_What he hadn’t told Gary was that he wasn’t just in town for a short visit, he was taking a break. A break much needed to spend time with him, but to also regroup._

* * *

And he had still left.

He left Gary Oak back in Pallet town even after that amazing month. He hated himself quite a bit for doing it, but they had made a promise not to force the changes for one another.

It took him a long time of being back on the road to be able to justify leaving Gary for what must’ve been the hundredth time.

But for the next weeks, he was haunted with the memory of those flowers and what they meant, and what they meant to /him/. And the many things that they made him want to do. Most of all, one very, very specific thing.

It was the only real planning he’d ever done.

* * *

_“What’s she like?”_

_Ash’s eyes searched over the silver bands, brows tight, then he looked up at the employee on the other side of the counter, “Huh?”_

_“The girl you’re planning on getting the ring for,” she explained herself, “Maybe I can help assist you in finding something that fits her personality.”_

_“Mmm,” Ash hummed as he shoved his hands nervously in his pocket. He was quiet for nearly another minute before clarifying, “/His/ personality.”_

_“Sir?”_

_“His,” Ash corrected again, louder now. And then he smiled to himself, “And he’s sometimes really hard to pin down. I can’t just…”_

_His gaze locked on a simple band in the corner of the display. Buried amongst others that were far more glamorous. But he liked its simplicity, and he thought that Gary might as well._

_“Do you have this one in gold?” he asked, then he voiced his concern, “I don’t know what color would fit better…”_

_“Do you have a picture of him?” the woman questioned him before making any suggestions, moving over to see the one he was looking at, “Ah, that’s a nice choice. Reserved, but effective.”_

_Ash pursed his lips when he realized he /didn’t/ have a picture of Gary, so he tried to explain, “Uhm… he… uh… he has red hair. He’s not pale, but his skin is a little lighter than mine.”_

_“What kinds of colors does he wear?”_

_Ash wasn’t sure why that mattered, but he told her anyways, “Purples, blacks, his white lab coat…-”_

_“Any jewelry?”_

_“No,” Ash laughed, “Well, he does wear this necklace. It’s got a black string and a purple like-”_

_“I think gold would be an excellent choice,” the woman settled and motioned for him to follow her over to their golden selection, taking the key from her neck and unlocking the display to pull out the gold version of the ring Ash had picked._

_She slid it across the glass surface, “Is this what you’re looking for?”_

_Ash stared at it. It wasn’t as strong with the golden color as some of the others were, but it was still absolutely beautiful._

_The idea of seeing it on Gary’s hand made him flush and he nodded, “Y-yeah. Yes, it’s perfect.”_

_He reached out tentatively to touch it._

_“It’s perfect.”_

* * *

And then he held onto the stupid thing for nearly five /years/.

So yeah, he did kind of plan things every once in a while. But he took much, much longer to actually execute them.

Nearly seven years after they shared their first kiss, he was ready to propose. He was ready to settle down, to hang up his hat, for his journey to come to an end. Well, the pokemon journey, sure. Well, the one where he was gone sometimes every day of the year (sometimes longer).

The moment he stepped foot in Pallet town, though, he was stopped by a long limo and the back door opened.

He blinked when he peered in and saw none other than Lance sitting inside, waiting for him.

“Uh, hey Lance,” Ash started, frowning.

“Ash Ketchum, climb in.”

“No thanks,” Ash responded tightly and straightened up, “I already told you ‘no’. And that hasn’t changed.”

Lance sighed in annoyance, “Get in, Ketchum. We have business to speak of.”

“We really don’t.”

“You’re planning on staying in Pallet town, aren’t you?”

“Indefinitely,” Ash said flatly and Lance smiled.

“Very good,” he motioned once more, “Please get in now, I don’t want others overhearing our conversation. And the longer you stand out there, the more likely we’ll have people coming to the car to ask questions.”

Ash was about to ask him why anyone would even bother, they’ve all known him since he was a kid, but he slung off his backpack and climbed in anyway.

Lance smiled at him tightly once the door was closed, then spoke to the driver, “To the site, please.”

* * *

Ash ducked into the lab, taking off his hat and setting it on the counter before sneaking over to where Gary was working silently, ear buds in his ears.

He leaned down, tugging one out and pressing a couple of kisses to the other man’s ear and cheek, “Hey, busy body.”

Gary turned in surprise and smiled wide, “Ashy?” he asked before Ash planted a long, heated kiss on his lips.

Ash turned the chair around, helping Gary up to his feet without breaking the kiss, and then he wrapped his arms around Gary’s torso. He pulled him in, one hand finding purchase in the hairs at the base of his neck.

He felt hands drop to his sides and then Gary tensed minutely.

“Uh, Ashy, you have a rock in your pocket or are you happy to see me?”

Ash laughed and then pulled back, “Sorry uh, I think we gotta talk.”

Gary stared at him, frowning as he glanced Ash over. It only took a second to realize how he had interpreted the words.

“No, no, god…” Ash waved his hand, “Nothing like that. Nothing like that at all, you dork.”

Gary visibly relaxed, “Okay, then what’s goin’ on?”

There’s that tone. That patented ‘Gary tone’ that made Ash feel his fight or flight instincts kick in. But he forced himself to find comfort in it, it wasn’t a tone that meant harm /these/ days.

“So, I’m staying.”

“Because of your win?”

Ash shrugged and nodded slightly, “Some of that, some of something else.”

“I thought we agreed not to change for one another.”

“I’m not,” Ash blushed furiously, defending himself, “I mean, not exactly.”

“Ash-”

“Gary-”

“Ash,” Gary said louder, “You can’t just stay here cuz of me, Ashy.”

“It’s not /just/ because of you.”

“Really?” Gary asked in disbelief, “Because it actually sounds a lot like it’s because of me.”

Ash pulled Gary’s hands away and put them to his sides, staring into his eyes for a long moment. And that’s when Gary realized how serious he was, he could see it register on his face.

“I love you,” he said nervously, “I don’t think I’ve ever said it, not in seven years. And I should’ve. But we don’t really talk about how we feel-”

“Ash,” Gary sighed, almost in annoyance, “You’re gettin’ sappy on me, Ashy-boy. Are you tryin’ ta’ tell me you’re /in/ love with me?”

Ash ignored that condescending tone and the bristling on the back of his neck that came with it, “I am,” he said firmly, and if that didn’t shut Gary up right fast. He continued after a moment, “I mean it, and I know you feel the same way about me. And yeah, this is gonna get really sappy for a moment. So humor me, because it probably won’t happen often.”

Gary made a motion of zipping his lips, “I’m all yours, please continue.”

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Ash said, tone softening, “And I’m not just up and quitting. I just think that… that journey is over. And this one I’ve been putting off for too long now. And we fit so well together, it’d be stupid to ignore it.”

And then he did the thing.

He got down on one knee right there in the lab, bones still aching from his journey, and pulled the box with the ring inside it from his pocket and presented it to Gary.

The moment he started to kneel, he could see the complete shock and panic on Gary’s face when he realized just what was happening.

“If it wasn’t for you being always so far ahead of me,” Ash said as he opened the box, holding it out and up, “I never would’ve realized what I was missing. Will you marry me, Gary Oak?”

Gary almost went teasing, Ash could see that good humor turn bitter in his eyes when he strained back the snide. But instead his smile turned soft and sweet. And he nodded slowly at first.

“Took you long enough, slowbro.”

Ash smiled wide, “Honestly, I was worried you might beat me to it.”

“Me? Nah. You know I overthink these things,” Gary muttered as Ash put the ring on his finger and stood up, kissing him, “That’s why I have you.”

Ash laced their hands together, “You’re not mad at me?”

Gary shook his head, “No. But I do have a question.”

“Yeah?”

“Was any of this planned before the construction on the new Pokemon Gym here in town started?”

“You know about that?”

“I am who I am, aren’t I?”

Ash smiled sheepishly, “Actually, /all/ of it was planned long before.”

“That’s the spirit, Ashy-boy,” Gary chimed, slapping Ash’s chest, “Looks like I’m rubbing off on you after all.”

“Guess so.”

“But you /are/ taking over the gym?”

Ash shrugged, “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Don’t overthink this one, trust me,” Gary nudged him, “Do it.”

“Now look who’s rubbing off on who.”

Gary pulled Ash in close and kissed his cheek, “Yeah, yeah. So, you been gone almost six months. Care to rub off a little more back in my room, Ashy-boy?”

Ash blushed and Gary barked out an obnoxious laugh.

“I-I… yeah. Sure. Yeah, okay.”


End file.
